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Special Teams Index: McKenzie’s returns sparks huge Georgia victory
By Ethan Levine
Published:
Special teams often go under-appreciated, but they can affect a game in a number of ways. As a result, Saturday Down South is giving the SECs special teamers the credit they deserve in the weekly Special Teams Index.
KICKOFFS
It didn’t take Georgia’s special teams long to leave their mark on the Bulldogs’ win over Kentucky in Week 11. Isaiah McKenzie returned the game’s opening kickoff 90 yards to put Georgia ahead 7-0 just 11 seconds into the action, and the Bulldogs never looked back in a 63-31 victory on Kentucky’s Senior Day in Lexington.
The Bulldogs were not as successful on their four other kickoff returns last week, and their yards per return average actually dropped from Week 10 to Week 11 following the win over UK, but McKenzie’s return set a tone for the game that Kentucky was unable to overcome.
The Cats continue to struggle on special teams this season, especially in kickoff coverage. Kentucky ranks in the bottom half of the SEC in that category, allowing nearly 22 yards per return, and they’re one of only two teams in the SEC to have allowed multiple kickoff returns for touchdowns in 2014.
The other is South Carolina, which has experienced even greater struggles on special teams than Kentucky this season. The Gamecocks rank 13th out of 14 SEC teams in yards per kickoff return, and they rank last in the SEC in yards per return allowed this season.
Here’s a complete rundown of every SEC team’s numbers on kickoff returns and in kickoff coverage this season:
| Team | Kickoff Returns | Yards per Return | Return TDs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Arkansas | 20 | 25.2 | 1 |
| 2. Missouri | 18 | 25.1 | 2 |
| 3. LSU | 21 | 24.7 | 0 |
| 4. Alabama | 26 | 23.7 | 0 |
| 5. Tennessee | 24 | 23.6 | 0 |
| T6. Kentucky | 28 | 23.5 | 0 |
| T6. Georgia | 24 | 23.5 | 2 |
| 8. Texas A&M | 37 | 22.4 | 0 |
| 9. Vanderbilt | 45 | 21.0 | 2 |
| 10. Mississippi State | 19 | 20.8 | 1 |
| 11. Florida | 28 | 19.8 | 0 |
| 12. Auburn | 21 | 19.5 | 0 |
| 13. South Carolina | 29 | 19.4 | 0 |
| 14. Ole Miss | 18 | 18.4 | 0 |
| Team | Opp. Returns | Yards per Return Allowed | Return TDs Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1. Texas A&M | 27 | 18.1 | 0 |
| T1. Mississippi State | 39 | 18.1 | 0 |
| 3. Tennessee | 37 | 19.0 | 0 |
| T4. Ole Miss | 39 | 20.2 | 0 |
| T4. Georgia | 41 | 20.2 | 0 |
| 6. Missouri | 20 | 20.5 | 0 |
| 7. LSU | 22 | 20.7 | 0 |
| 8. Kentucky | 33 | 21.8 | 2 |
| 9. Vanderbilt | 25 | 22.0 | 0 |
| T10. Auburn | 23 | 22.7 | 0 |
| T10. Alabama | 41 | 22.7 | 1 |
| 12. Arkansas | 39 | 24.0 | 1 |
| 13. Florida | 30 | 24.6 | 1 |
| 14. South Carolina | 22 | 26.8 | 2 |
PUNTS
McKenzie’s big day on special teams extended to Georgia’s punt return unit as well. He returned a second half punt 59 yards for his second return touchdown of the day, helping Georgia extend its lead as it outscored UK 28-7 in the second half of the blowout.
The Bulldogs are now one of two SEC teams with multiple punt return touchdowns this season, and they’re the only team in the conference with multiple return touchdowns on both kickoffs and punts. Georgia improved its yards per punt return average by nearly two yards following the win over UK, which is a lot considering the SEC’s leader in punt return average (Auburn) averages fewer than 20 yards per punt return.
Just five weeks ago, Kentucky had allowed fewer than 10 total punt return yards all season, but the Cats punt coverage unit has struggled mightily during the team’s ongoing four-game losing streak.
Kentucky is now allowing more than 15 yards per punt return, worst in the SEC, and it is the only program in the conference to have allowed multiple punt return touchdowns this season. Only three other schools have even allowed at least 10 yards per punt return, while five more have allowed fewer than six yards per return this season.
Here’s a full rundown of every SEC team’s numbers on punt returns and in punt coverage this season:
| Team | Punt Returns | Yards per Return | Return TDs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Auburn | 14 | 19.8 | 2 |
| 2. Florida | 16 | 15.9 | 1 |
| 3. Missouri | 19 | 14.3 | 1 |
| 4. Texas A&M | 20 | 13.6 | 0 |
| 5. Georgia | 25 | 12.6 | 2 |
| 6. LSU | 23 | 11.4 | 1 |
| 7. Alabama | 16 | 10.4 | 0 |
| 8. Kentucky | 24 | 7.5 | 0 |
| 9. Arkansas | 17 | 7.4 | 0 |
| 10. Vanderbilt | 14 | 7.1 | 1 |
| 11. Ole Miss | 20 | 6.4 | 0 |
| T12. Tennessee | 15 | 6.3 | 0 |
| T12. South Carolina | 11 | 6.3 | 0 |
| 14. Mississippi State | 19 | 3.7 | 0 |
| Team | Opp. Returns | Yards per Return Allowed | Return TDs Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Tennessee | 17 | 3.4 | 0 |
| 2. Ole Miss | 17 | 3.5 | 0 |
| 3. Arkansas | 12 | 4.7 | 0 |
| 4. Vanderbilt | 19 | 5.3 | 1 |
| 5. Georgia | 9 | 5.7 | 0 |
| T6. Alabama | 8 | 6.3 | 0 |
| T6. Mississippi State | 12 | 6.3 | 0 |
| 8. Missouri | 16 | 7.1 | 0 |
| 9. Auburn | 14 | 8.6 | 0 |
| 10. South Carolina | 9 | 9.6 | 0 |
| 11. Texas A&M | 9 | 10.1 | 0 |
| T12. Florida | 16 | 10.7 | 1 |
| T12. LSU | 16 | 11.2 | 1 |
| 14. Kentucky | 14 | 15.4 | 2 |
INDIVIDUALS
McKenzie broke into the top 5 in the SEC in yards per return among individual punt returns, averaging better than 15 yards per return this season following his huge game against UK. Only Auburn’s Quan Bray, who leads the SEC in that category, has returned multiple punts for touchdowns in 2014.
Texas A&M teammates Trey Williams and Speedy Noil are the only set of teammates ranked in the top 5 in the SEC in kickoff and punt return average this season. Williams ranks fifth in the SEC in kickoff return average at 24.5 yards per return, while Speedy Noil ranks fifth in punt return average at 13.6 yards per return. Neither player has a return touchdown this season to pad their average, making the accomplishment all the more impressive.
Kentucky’s Boom Williams moved ahead of Vanderbilt’s Darrius Sims as the SEC’s second-most-accomplished kickoff returner, but he, too, lacks a return touchdown this season. Sims slid down to No. 3, just ahead of Alabama’s Christion Jones, who held the same spot last week.
Bray and Florida’s Andre Debose remain 1-2 in the SEC among individual punt returners for a fourth straight week.
Just like last week, Missouri’s Marcus Murphy remains the only SEC player ranked in the top 5 in the conference for both kickoff and punt return averages. The Tigers were off last week, allowing Murphy to maintain his top 5 standing in both categories.
Here’s a full rundown of the SEC’s best individual kickoff and punt returners this season:
| Name | Team | Kickoff Returns | Yards per Return | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Marcus Murphy | Missouri | 11 | 32.9 | 2 |
| 2. Boom Williams | Kentucky | 13 | 28.9 | 0 |
| 3. Darrius Sims | Vanderbilt | 21 | 28.6 | 2 |
| 4. Christion Jones | Alabama | 20 | 25.5 | 0 |
| 5. Trey Williams | Texas A&M | 13 | 24.5 | 0 |
| Name | Team | Punt Returns | Yards per Return | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Quan Bray | Auburn | 12 | 20.5 | 2 |
| 2. Andre Debose | Florida | 15 | 16.9 | 1 |
| 3. Isaiah McKenzie | Georgia | 15 | 15.1 | 2 |
| 4.Marcus Murphy | Missouri | 19 | 14.3 | 1 |
| 5. Speedy Noil | Texas A&M | 13 | 13.6 | 0 |
Colby Delahoussaye drilled a 39-yard field goal in the final minute of regulation to put LSU ahead of Alabama by three points in Death Valley last weekend. The Crimson Tide recovered to win the game in overtime, but Delahoussaye still proved why he is one of the most clutch and most accurate kickers in the SEC by converting the late-game kick.
He’s tied with Florida’s Francisco Velez for the fewest misses by any kicker with at least seven attempts this season. Delahoussaye and Velez have each missed one field goal apiece in 2014, but because Velez has the same number of misses with one additional attempt he is the outright most accurate kicker in the conference through 11 weeks.
Only two other kickers have made at least 80 percent of their field goals this season. South Carolina’s Elliott Fry was on a bye last week, but Texas A&M’s Josh Lambo was in action, drilling 2 of 3 field goal attempts to help the Aggies stun Auburn on the Plains. However, Lambo’s miss was just his second of the season, dropping him to third in the SEC in terms of accuracy.
The same five punters lead the SEC in yards per punt, although A&M’s Drew Kaser moved up from fifth to fourth, swapping places with Mississippi State’s Devon Bell. LSU’s Jamie Keehn continues to amaze, remaining in the top 5 in average yards per punt despite booting 15 more punts than any other member of the top 5 through 11 weeks this year.
Here’s a complete rundown of the SEC’s best place kickers and punters this season:
| Name | Team | Field Goals Made | Field Goals Attempted | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Francisco Velez | Florida | 11 | 12 | 91.7 |
| T2. Colby Delahoussaye | LSU | 10 | 11 | 90.9 |
| 3. Josh Lambo | Texas A&M | 9 | 11 | 81.8 |
| 4. Elliott Fry | South Carolina | 12 | 15 | 80.0 |
| 5. Tommy Openshaw | Vanderbilt | 7 | 9 | 77.8 |
| Name | Team | Punts | Yards Per Punt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. JK Scott | Alabama | 36 | 47.1 |
| T2. Jamie Keehn | LSU | 61 | 45.0 |
| T3. Kyle Christy | Florida | 43 | 45.0 |
| 4. Drew Kaser | Texas A&M | 46 | 44.5 |
| 5. Devon Bell | Mississippi State | 34 | 43.9 |
A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.
